Harmonics: Theory, Sources,

& Mitigation

Harmonics and Power Quality Conference

September 14-15, 2006
 Outline
Waveform Review
Harmonics and Fourier Analysis
Harmonic Analysis Techniques
Harmonic Characteristics
Harmonic Sources
Harmonic Tripleins
Effects of Harmonic Distortion
Mitigation Techniques
Conclusions
References
 Waveform Review
Current and voltage are represented by a sinusoidal
wave form
Frequency=1/period, hertz
I(t)=Ipsin(θ)=Ipsin(2πft)=Ipsin(ωt)
V(t)=Vpsin(θ)=Vpsin(2πft)=Vpsin(ωt)

http://www.circuit-magic.com/sinusoidal_circuits_analysis.htm
 Waveform Review
Balanced 3Ø system, phases 120° apart, zero
current on the neutral
Unbalanced loads cause current to flow in
neutral, In=Ia+Ib+Ic

http://www.tpub.com/doeelecscience/electricalscience2131.htm
 Waveform Review
Linear loads produce a
linear, straight-line,
response
Purely resistive,
capacitative, inductive
loads
Non-linear loads
produce a curved
response
Response of each device
is different
Harmonics and Fourier Analysis
Harmonic frequencies are integer multiples of the fundamental
frequency
60 Hz: 120,180,240,300,360,420,480,540
50 Hz: 100,150,200,250,300,350,400,450
Fourier transform: periodic complex waveforms can be expressed
as the sum of an infinite series of sinusoidal signals

http://ecmweb.com/ar/606ecmINSIDEPQfig3.jpg
Harmonics and Fourier Analysis
 t1 T0
1
f (t )  c e
n  
n
jn0t
, cn 
T0  f (t )e
 jn0 t
t
t1

f(t)=function of waveform
cn=Fourier component for the nth harmonic
ω0=2πf0, where f0=fundamental frequency
T0=period
Harmonics and Fourier Analysis
Euler' s identity : e -jn0t  cos(n0t )  j sin(n0t );
t1 T0
1
cn 
T0  f (t )(cos(n t )  j sin(n t )), c
t1
0 0 n  .5an  j.5bn

bn
2cn  an  jbn ,  n  tan ( )
1

an

an, bn are the real and imaginary components of

the nth harmonic phasor
θn= phase angle of the nth harmonic
a0=average value of the signal
 Harmonic Characteristics
In symmetrical waveforms even harmonics are absent
Higher harmonic frequencies tend to differ in phase
angle and cancel more than the 1st-11th harmonics,
phase angle affects harmonic power flow
Harmonics are steady-state
Current distortion causes voltage distortion at same
harmonic frequency
Source impedance is inversely related to current
distortion and directly related to voltage distortion
Harmonic Analysis Techniques
Spectrum analysis at different points of the system using
software applying FFT (fast Fourier transform) analysis
Calculate amount of voltage or current at harmonic frequencies
as percentage of that at the fundamental frequency, calculate
phase angle of each harmonic, calculate THD, total harmonic
distortion

nmax

I
2
n
I 2  I 3  I 4  I 5  I 6  I 7  I 8
TDHI  n 1
 ,
nmax
I1  I 2  I 3  I 4  I 5  I 6  I 7  I 8
I
2
n
n 1

nmax

V
2
n
V2  V3  V4  V5  V6  V7  V8
TDHV  n 1
 ,
nmax
V1  V2  V3  V4  V5  V6  V7  V8
V
n 1
n
2

where I n  nth harmonic current and Vn  nth harmonic voltage

Harmonic Analysis Techniques:
Results
THD is relative to the amount of voltage or current
present
THDV is more meaningful measurement than TDHI
Harmonic amperes more useful than THDI, the greater
the current the more significant THDI becomes
IEEE-519 recommends THD levels for PCC with utility
power
Current distortion: TDD 5% for Isc/IL <20, TDD 20% for ratios
>1000
Voltage distortion: 5% general systems, 10% dedicated systems,
3% for special applications
Levels within facility should be low enough to ensure
correct operation and life expectancy of all equipment
 Harmonic Sources
Saturable devices- transformers and non-
linear reactors
Arcing loads- welding loads, arc furnaces,
fluorescent lighting distort voltage as a
result of non-linearity of electric arc
Power electronic equipment- VFD, DC
motor drives, electronic power supplies,
PWM drives without choke
Harmonic Sources: Pulsed
 Harmonic Tripleins
Even in a balanced system, third harmonics and third
harmonic integer multiples (9,15,21…) will cause current
to flow in the neutral
Phase shift is also multiplied by the same integer as the
fundamental frequency
Triplein harmonics do not cancel, but rather add in the
neutral conductor of a 4 wire, wye connected load
Third harmonic neutral current is 300% of third harmonic
phase current
If current is balanced, little fundamental current in
neutral, very high THDI%
Amp rating of neutral transformer, very important, 1.73x
IL
Consider delta-delta connected source and loads
Effects of Harmonic Distortion
Current distortion effects on linear loads in facility is
minimal, path dependent, greater effect on distribution
system
Only fundamental current can power loads
Currents at higher frequencies increase I2Z losses due to
increased transformer impedance
Current distortion causes voltage distortion
Voltage distortion caused at one location will be fed to all
equipment on buses common to that point
Voltage distortion worse the further it occurs from the
transformer
5th harmonic voltage distortion especially bad for 3Ø
motors
Harmonics can be magnified due resonance caused by
capacitor banks
Large electrical machine can excite higher frequency
resonances, >20th harmonic
 Mitigation Techniques
Central or localized
Isolation transformers
Line reactors
Tuned harmonic filters
Low pass harmonic filters
Active harmonic filters
Dynamic filters
Active (IGBT) rectifier front end
12 and 18 pulse bridge rectifiers
 Conclusions
Solve harmonic problems at the source
Look for harmonic current related
problems
Control voltage distortion by keeping
current distortion low
Increase neutral conductor size, separate
neutrals per phase, third harmonic filters
Combine methods to have the most
effective and economical solution
 References
D. Mueller, Harmonics in Industrial and Commercial Facilities, EC&M
Harmonics and Power Quality Conference, St. Louis, MO (2006).
J. Houdek, Harmonic Mitigation Alternatives, EC&M Harmonics and Power
Quality Conference, St. Louis, MO (2006).
M. Lowenstein, Harmonic Current and Voltage Distortion, EC&M,
http://ecmweb.com/mag/electric_harmonic_current_voltage/index.html
(2002).
J. Dedad, The How's and Why's of Harmonic Distortion, EC&M,
http://ecmweb.com/mag/electric_hows_whys_harmonic/index.html (2006).
Harmonic Distortion, Galco Industrial Electronics,
http://www.galco.com/circuit/PFCC_har.htm (1996).
E. Beroset, J. Starck, Lessons in Electronic Circuits, Vol. II, iBiblio,
http://www.ibiblio.org/obp/electricCircuits/AC/AC_10.html (2002).
J. Irwin, Basic Engineering Circuit Analysis, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New
York, NY(2002).
E. Weisstein, Fourier Series, Wolfram MathWorld,
http://mathworld.wolfram.com/FourierSeries.html (2004).